Roll-cleaner for spinning-machines.



PATENTED MAY. 5, 1903. T. 0. CUNNINGHAM. I ROLL CLEANER- FOR SPINNING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0053.30, 1902.

BEETS-SHEET l.

v1T0 MODEL.

No. 727,099. I i PATENTED MAY 5, 1903( T. 0. CUNNINGHAM;

Y ROLL CLEANER FOR SPINNING MACHINES. Y APPLICATION Hum 001 so, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses I I mvf f foz Q. W N

. v GHQ 124W 'cedes.

UNITED STATES- ATE-NT Patented May 5, 1903. A

HUGE.

THOMAS O. CUNNINGHAM, OF SOUTH HADLEYFALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,099, dated May 5, 1903. Application filed October 30,:1902I Serial No. 129,379. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS O. CUNNING- HAM,a citizen of the United States, residing at South Hadley Falls, in the county of Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

tain said carrier in proper position over the gravity-roll, and certain adjusting devices are employed, all as hereinafter set forth and claimed. The rolls referred to are those over and under which the strands of roping pass on their way from the roping-rolls to the-bobbin's upon the reciprocating carriage of the spinning-machine, the function of these rolls being to feed forward the roping after the carriage begins its outward movement and to hold the roping during the latter part'of such movement in order that the portion fed may be properly drawnas the carriage re- In order to effectually perform this function, the surfaces of the aforesaid rolls should be free from dirt or other obstructing matter. In practice it is found that loose fibers and particles of roping, together with the dust and other impurities contained therein, lodge upon the surfaces of the rolls, and, being permeated with the natural oil of the wool, gum the rolls to such an extent as to seriously impair their perfect operation and either in part or altogether prevent the feeding and drawing of the roping; and the object of my improvement is to provide means for automatically cleaning the upper or gravity roll in an effectual manner without removing the same from the machine and doing the work while the machine is in actual operation, thus insuring a saving in time and expense.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a cleaner which can be so adjusted as to be adaptable to different sizes of rolls and to meet other-differences and conditions, as will be hereinafter fully explained.

A third object is to produce a cleaner em- :hodying the above mentioned advantages and one which is comparatively simple in construction and operation, also practicable and efficient.

Fig. 3, an end view of the carrier, scraper,

and reel, those parts of the spinning-machine :shown being in section with the exception of the guide-loop and the bobbin; and Fig. 4, a

[transverse vertical section on lines 4 4, Fig.

1,:lookingtoward the left.

Similar'reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Those parts of' a spinning-machine which are shown in the drawings in order to better illustrate the application of my invention comprise the lower rolls A .A, which are driven in the ordinary manner, the gravity- -rol1 B, resting uponand rotated by frictional contact with said rolls A, the guide 0 back of the rolls and provided with upstanding loops D, between each-pair of which a strand E passes on its way to the rolls A and B, and a bobbin F, upon which said strand is wound after passing over the rolls A and under the roll B. It is customary-to make the gravityroll in sections varying from three to eight inches in length; but I have shown a continuous roll in the drawings, as my invention is adapted for use with any spinning-machine gravity-roll, or one of a similar nature, regardless of the length of its sections.

A blade or scraper a is retained and poised on top of the roll B and moved thereon by means of a carrier having more or lesslateral play and comprising a =platformb and runners c c and provided with a propellingroller or cone-wheel d. One or more rods e, securely fastened at their lower terminals to the scraper a, pass upward therefrom through the platform 17 and hollow posts f, rising from said platform. Weights g are mounted on the upper ends of the rods 6. Any suitable weight may be used for the purpose of forcing the scraper down onto the roll B; but I prefer to employ hollow cases containing shot, such cases being held in place by means of nuts h h, threaded to the rods 9 above and below said cases. By removing one of the upper nuts 72 the corresponding case can be lifted offof its rod,care being exercised to close the lower hole in the case with the thumb or finger at the instant of removal from the rod in order to prevent. the shot from falling out. The weight can be increased or decreased by introducing more shot into the case or taking out some of that which it already contains, after which the case is put back into its former position. If more shot is to be introduced into a case, the latter need not be entirely removed from its rod, but only raised sufficiently to bring the upper rod-hole above the top of the rod. Thus it will be seen that a convenient means is provided by this method of construction for increasing or decreasing the force with which the scraper is applied to the gravity-roll. The weights should be held some little distance above the top of the postsf, and the passages in said posts for the rods e should be sufficiently large to provide for more or less independent movement between adjacent ends of the scraper and carrier, for the reason presently to be explained.

I prefer to make my carrier adjustable to different sizes of gravity-rolls by employing simple adjusting devices with which to attach the runners c to the platform 12. Such means in the present instance consists of vertical lugs 2', rising from the top of the platform I), and laterally-extending lugs 'L', projecting from the outer sidesrof the runners c, and an angular rod j, having its threaded terminals passed through suitable openings in each pair of corresponding lugs '11 and t", with a pair of nuts screwed onto each end of said rod against opposite sides of each of said lugs. A sufliciently rigid connection between the platform and runners is formed in the manner just described. By loosening the nuts contiguous to the lugs 2 the runners may be raised or lowered from their present position, so as to locate them in the desired position relative to the gravity-roll, when said nuts are again screwed into place against the lugs, and by loosening the nuts contiguous to the lugs i said runners may be adjusted laterally to whatever extent is needed for the proper performance of the work of the carrier, when thenuts are again tightened. The cone-wheel d, by which the carrier is propelled forward, has its stud Z rigidly secured, by means of a nut m or in any other suitable manner, to an arm 'n, which in turn is held to the upwardly-extending part of a bracket 0 by means of a screw 19 and nut q,

said bracket being fastened to the front of the platform I) with a screw 1' and nut 51. The cone-wheel d is adapted to bear upon the roll B,'and provision is made for obtaining the 'tached to the top of said follower.

proper angle of said cone-wheel relative to said roll, whereby the carrier shall be propelled forward to the best advantage during the rotation of the roll by means of slots 0' and o in the bracket 0 and a slot 01' in the bracket 71. The slot 0' permits the bracket 0 to be moved toward either side of the platform when the screw 1* is loosened, as well as to be swung upon said screw. The slot 0 permits the arm n to be raised or lowered when the screw 19 is loosened, and the slot 11' allows said arm to be moved longitudinally i of the roll, while at the same time it is permitted, of course, to swing upon said screw.

Thus it will be seen that the cone-wheel d can be adjusted with great delicacy. The periphery of the cone-Wheel preferably consists of rubber, so as to increase the frictional contact between this member and the roll 13. Either the carrier or the core of the conewheel d, or both, should be sufficiently heavy to produce enough frictional contact between rotary members to bring about the desired result. As is well known, the rolls A andB are generally arranged in sections, and for this reason the cone-wheel is quitelong, so as to enable the same to bridge the break between the gravity-roll sections, thereby enabling the cleaner to travel from one end of the machine to the other without attention on the part of the operator. By giving some little length to this member, too, the facility with which it is enabled to pass from one section to another of those which enter into the formation of asingle gravity-rollis enhanced.

In order to retain the carrier in position above the roll B and centerit approximately above the vertical planeof the axis of said roll, it is necessary to provide means whereby said carrier shall be prevented from being thrown out of position. To this end a follower t and a reel to are provided, the former being arranged to move along and over the top of the guideloops D' and the latter to' successively register with the interior of said loops, one of the reel-arms being always in engagement with a loop. The followertis supported in the above-mentioned position by means of a bracket v, rising from the platform I), an arm 10, and a lug m, securely at- The follower 25 preferably consists of an inverted trough or V shaped member, the depending and spreading sides of which are capable of straddling the'loops D. The angle in crosssection of-this follower may vary to meet different requirements, and the back side thereof may be longer than the front side, as shown, for the reason presently to be given. The follower is rendered adjustable back or to and up or down by means of a screwy and nut z, the former passing through a slot 1) in the bracket '0 and a slot to in the arm to. A

screw 10 and nut 11 are used to fasten the rear end of the arm to to the follower-lug or. A second hole 00' may be provided in the lug w for the reception of the screw 10 when it is desired to change the adjustment of the parts at this point. The joint between the lug or and arm 10 should be loose enough to permit more or less playto the follower. By loosening the screwy the arm 20 can be moved into a great varietyof positions, so as to place the follower at the proper height and in the proper position relative to the tops of the guide-loops D. By preference the support for the follower is located at some point intermediate of the posts f when two of such parts are employed. When the follower is properly adjusted, it prevents vthe 'carrier I from being thrown backward olf of the roll 13, for the reason that said follower is forced onto the guide-loops by backward movement of said carrier and necessarily prevents displacement of the latter in this direction. In order to prevent displacement of the carrier inthe opposite direction, the reel 16, preferably located at the left-hand or rear end of the carrier, is employed. It has been found in practice that this reel should generally comprise three arms, each of which may be rendered adjustable through the medium of an extension 12, slotted at 12 and held to said arm by screws 13 13, passing through the slot into the arm. Upon loosening the screws 13 the extensions 12 may be moved toward or away from the center of the reel, thus decreasingorincreasing its circumferential path of travel, The reel 11. is loosely mounted atl t on the rear end of an arm 15, which in turn is 'mounted to swing upon the upstanding part of an angular rod 16. 'The rod 16 is screwthreaded at both terminals, like the rodsj, and

supported by a bracket 17, rising from theplatform I). This bracket is preferably slotted at 17 to receive the horizontal part of the rod 16, and nuts 18 18, threaded to said part each side of said bracket, hold the rod'in position after it has been adjustedin the slot to.

the desired height, the bracket being clamped between saidvnuts. The arm 15 is held in place between nuts 19 19, threaded to the vertical terminal of the rod 16.

rod 16 may be rotated or moved longitudinally, as well as up anddown, to adjust the, arm 15 so as to properly position the reel to. relative to the loops D which it is to engage,af-. terwhich said nutsare again tightened. On; or more holes 15 may be provided in the arm,

15 forthc reception of the rod 16, thus providing additional adjustment whereby the reel can be moved toward or away from the guide-loops. A stop 20, clamped between the lower nut 19 and a nut 21 on the rod 16, has its rear end turned upward into the path-of,

By loosen- I ing the nuts 18 the horizontal part of the whenever it has been forced out of it as soon,

as released, as hereinafter explained. By loosening the nut 21 the position of the stop 20 can be changed, so as to increase or decrease the amount of sweep permitted to the arm 15. The tension on the spring 22 is altered by loosening the nut 25, moving the arm 24, and then reseatiug said nut.

It will be understood that all of the adjustment for the parts herein setforth need not be provided in every case, and, furthermore, that the simple means herein shown for bringing about the several adjustments may be varied more or less.

It will be understood that the weighted scraper is caused to bear down upon the roll B by force of gravity and is balanced thereon through the medium of the carrier and attached parts. The runners c of the carrier prevent the scraper from being hurled bodily from the roll B, While the follower t and the reel M, respectively, check the backward I and forward lateral movement of said scraper as one or the other of said runners starts to ride upon the roll, but at the same time permit a limited amount of such movement, owing to the lost motion up and down between said follower and reel and the guideloopsf The rods arising from the scraper through the carrier,- so connect the two latter that any movement of the carrier other than one in a substantially. perpendicular direction is imparted to the scraper. Since the guide-loops are stationary and the follower and reel, which loosely engage the tops of said loops from above and below, respectively, are attached to the carri'erguided by its runners on the roll, it will be readily seenhow the scraper is poisedon the rolland al-v lowed a moderate amount of. lateral play.

Before the cleaner is ready for successful operation it is necessary to see that the ad- 3' ustment of the several members is such that they will work to the best a'dvantage. In

the first place therunners 0 must be separated and raised or lowered to whatever extent is required for clearance of, the roll B when the scraper (1 stands vertically upon-said roll,

after which the cone-wheel (Z should be raised or lowered, so that when it rests upon the roll 7 B it will raise the front of the platform b'off of the scraper a; otherwise sufficient frictional contact would -not be possible for the vproper propulsion ot' the cleaner. The construction and arrangement of the connections between the scraper and carrierwherein the weights are supported abovethe tops of the posts f permit of this independent vertical movement at the front end between said scraper and carrier, The cone-wheel should also be. arranged with its axis at the proper angle to the roll B to insure the-requisite speed at e successively engage said loops as the carrier moves along the roll. These last two adjustments must be made with more or less care, for the reason that the loops D are not always spaced with exactitude and are often bent out of alinement. In short, many irregularities are here found, to meet which provision has to be made. On account of the aforesaid irregularities it is necessary to con.- struct and suspend the follower substantially in the manner shown and to arrange it with its ridge in line with the vertical plane of the longitudinal center of such loops as are in proper position and condition. Then as the follower moves along it is permitted to swing back and forth or rock endwise as it encounters loops which are bent or otherwise distorted without being thrown out of connection. Since the loops are more frequently bent backward than forward or so bent to a great extent, the rear side of the follower is longer than the front side to enable it to successfully engage and pass over such loops. The parts that support the reel are prefer ably so arranged as to locate the latter in proper position for engagement with the guide-loops which are most remote from the carrier. Then as said carrier moves along one after another of the reel-arms engages said loops successively withoutdisturbing the arm 15; but when a loop which is bent forward is encountered said arm 15 is swung to the left to enable the reel to get by, after which the spring 22 draws the arm 15 into contact with the stop 20 again.

The operation of the cleaner will be generally understood from the foregoing description; but such operation may be briefly stated in detail as follows: After the above-mentioned adjustments have been made that part of the arm 15 which extends in front of its pivotal support and forms a convenient handle is grasped and said arm forced against the resiliency of its spring into a position substantially parallel with the roll B before the carrier is placed upon said roll with the follower 15 above the loops D, and after said carrier has been so placed said arm is released to its spring and one arm of the reel permitted to engage the adjacent guide-loop. The rolls A revolving in one direction rotate the roll 13 in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 3 and 4, and the beveled periphery of the angularly-arranged cone-wheel d relative to the roll B causes the path of contact between said cone-wheel and roll to followa spiral line about the roll, thus drawing the carrier and scraper to the right or forward. This movement continues until the apparatus, which started at one end of the machine, arrives at the other end, when it may be returned to the startingpoint and permitted to repeat the operation as often as desired. As the carrier advances the scraper thoroughly cleans the roll upon which it bears, and the runners, which are preferably beveled on the inside, as shown,

also assist in removing the accumulation of dirt from the roll. Any tendency of the carrier to tip backward is checked by the follower 15 coming in contact with the loops D, and "a tendency to tip forward is counteracted by that arm of the reel which happens at the time to be in engagement with one of the loops, such arm coming into contact with the under side of the top of the loop. It will thus be seen that the cleaner automatically performs its function while the machine is in actual operation, no serious displacement of the scraper or carrier being possible, owing to the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as herein set forth.

To prevent liability of the scraper a to catch on any joint or break in the supporting roll or rolls, the front end of said scraper on its under or working edge may be bent or curved upward; but each bend or curve is generally very slight. When the carrier is removed from the machine, the scraper drops so far as the nuts 71. will permit, but cannot become accidentally disconnected from said carrier.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, as various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention, so long as the essential features of the same are maintained. As an example of such a change, mention may be made of the weights g, which can be formed in a variety of ways and still be serviceable. It is to be understood also that my invention is applicable to other machines.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A roll-cleaner comprising a scraper having its working edge extending longitudinally of the roll, and means to poise and propel said scraper on and along the roll.

2. In a roll-cleaner, a carrier adapted to travel over or above the roll without being displaced by the action thereof, and a scraper poised on said roll by said carrier.

3. In a roll-cleaner, a strand-guide, a carrier for a scraper above the roll, and means correlative with said strand-guide to position said carrier.

4. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, with a scraper adapted to bear upon the roll, of a carrier arranged to poise and retain said scraper in position on said roll.

5. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, with a scraper adapted to bear upon the roll, of a carrier arranged to poise and retain said scraper in position on said roll, and means to move said carrier and scraper along the roll.

6. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, with a scraper adapted to bear upon the roll, of a carrier arranged to poise and retain said scraper in position on said roll, and means actuated by the latter to move said carrier and scraper along the same.

7. In a roll-cleaner, a scraper and a carrier adapted to position and actuate the scraper ICC on the roll, and means for independent verticalmovement between the scraper and carrier. r

8. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a weighted scraper, a carrier for the same, and means to permit of independent vertical movement between the scraper and carrier,

9. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a scraper and a carrier therefor provided with a propelling-roller, and means to force said roller into frictional-contact with the roll, said scraper arranged in longitudinal relationship with and poised on said roll.

10. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, with a weighted scraper, of a carrier for said scraper, means for independent movement between the scraper and carrier, a propelling-roller on.the carrier, and means to force said roller into frictional contact with the roll.

11 In a roll-cleaner, acarrier for a scraper, arranged to move along the roll and having more or less lateral play, and means to prevent backward displacement of said carrier.

12. In a roll-cleaner, a carrier for a scraper, arranged to move along the roll and having more or less lateral play, and means to prevent forward displacement of said carrier.

13. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, ofa carrier for a scraper, arranged to move along the roll and having more or less lateral play, and means to limit suchlateral play.

14. A carrier for a scraper, in a roll-cleaner, comprising a platform, adjustahle sides or runners attached thereto, and means toadjust said sides relative to-the upper part of the associated roll.

15. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a carrier, and a scraper within said carrier and poised on the roll, having a rod adapted to pass through said carrier for the purpose of assisting in retaining said scraper in its poised position. I

16. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a carrier provided with hollow posts, and a scraper below the platform of said carrier and poised on the roll, having rods adapted to pass through said posts for the purpose of assisting in retaining said scraper in its poised position. 1 I

17. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a carrier, a scraper within said carrier and poised on the roll, having-a rod extending through said carrier, and a Weight on said rod, the parts being arranged to permit of independent vertical movement between the scraper and carrier.

18. The combination, in a roll-cleaner,with a carrier provided with hollow posts, ofa scraper poised on the roll and having rods extending through said posts, and weights on said rods, the parts being arranged to permit of independent vertical movement between the scraper and carrier.

19. The combination,in a roll-cleaner, of a carrier, a scraper within said carrier, having a rod adapted to pass through the same for the purpose of retaining the scraper in position on the roll, and a case for shot mounted on said rod, the parts being arranged for independent vertical movement between the scraper and carrier.

.20. The-combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a carrier having more or less lateral play, a scraper poised by the carrier on the roll, a propelling-roller connected with said carrier and having a beveled surface for frictional contact with the roll, and means to limit such lateral play of the carrier. i

21. The combination, in a roll-cleaner, of a carrier having more or less lateral play, a scraper poised by the carrier on the roll, a propelling-roller having a beveled surface for frictional contact with the roll, adjustable connections between said roller and carrier, and means to limit such lateral play of the carrier.

22. In a roll-cleaner, a strand-guide, a carrier for a scraper adapted to move along the roll, and an inverted trough or follower supported by said carrier over the strand-guide.

.23. The combination, in aro1l-cleaner,with a strand-guide, of a carrier for a scraper adapted to move along the roll, an inverted trough or follower, supported by. the carrier over the strand-guide, and an adjustable support attached to said carrier, for said follower.

24. In a roll-cleaner, strand-guide loops, and a carrier for a roll-cleaning scraper, provided with a reel adapted to register with the strand-guide loops.

25. The combination, in a roll-c1ea ner,-with a carrier for the scraper, of an arm pivotally attached to said carrier and spring-pressed in one direction, and a reel mounted to rotate onsaid arm.

26. The combination, in a ro11-clea'ner,witl1.

IOC

strand-guide loops,of a carrier for the scraper,

an arm pivotally connected with said carrier and spring-pressed in one direction, a stop in the path of said arm, and a reel rotatably mounted I on the arm to register with the strand-guide loops.

28. The combination, in a roll-cleaner,with a carrier for the scraper, of an arm pivotally attached to saidcarrier, and a reel mounted to rotate on said arm, having arms capable.

of longitudinal adjustment.

Iii-testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS 7O. CUNNINGHAM. 

